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TOPIC: Gordon, Samuel Dickey - Quiet Talks About the Tempter (Other Topics in this Collection)
SUBJECT: 067. No Self
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No Self
The second thing in Satan's defeat by our Lord is this: there was no self-seeking in Jesus. That is included, of course, in saying that there was no sin; for sin at its core is self-seeking, that is, preferring one's own way to God's. Now Jesus was wholly unselfish; there was none of the self-spirit in Him.
We ought to take a moment to talk of just what that means. It does not mean a carelessness or a thoughtlessness about the needs of His bodily life. It is not selfish to care properly for one's health and strength, in the matters of food and sleep, air and exercise, and needful dress. One can easily go to a selfish excess in these things, and that is very common. That temptation is always at hand. And one can go to the other extreme of not giving thought and care enough to these things.
And if you will note it, this is just as selfish as the other extreme, though it is a sort of thoughtless, unconscious, unintentional selfishness. It is selfish because it is very sure to lead to conditions that will make one a charge upon or a care to somebody else. And at the same time we are not able to do for others what they need. Whatever makes one weaker in any way, which by due care and thought could have been avoided, has the taint of selfishness at its root.
Our Lord's unselfishness, undoubtedly, would be the genuine, thoughtful sort that made Him take proper care of His bodily needs and strength for other's sake, as well as because it was right in itself. And in this He gives an example that many earnest godly people need to take note of and follow.
And His lack of the self-spirit does not mean the ignoring of His personal identity, or of the great service entrusted to Him. He continually asserted His personal identity, telling plainly who He was, and why He had come, and that He was sent by the Father for a great mission among men.